Chapter 7

(AUTHORS NOTE: idk when did ace and sabo met, i do know that ace and luffy met when ace was 10 and luffy was 7??, but let's make it like ace, mc and sabo met like 7 years old for more deepend bond before luffy comes) (sidenote: DOUBLE UPDATE?!)

-Brothers Unite?

MC's POV:

It had been a few months since Ace and I turned seven. Life continued as usual on Dawn Island, with the two of us training and exploring the forests. The wild and untamed landscape was our playground, filled with hidden dangers and exciting discoveries. But today felt different, as if something significant was about to happen.

Ace and I were heading toward the Gray Terminal, a massive garbage dump where the refuse from the prosperous Goa Kingdom was discarded. The place was a treasure trove for us, filled with discarded items and the occasional piece of valuable loot. It was a great place to train our survival skills and find useful items. However, it was also home to the poorest people on the island, living in the most deplorable conditions.

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As we navigated through the junk piles, Ace and I stumbled upon a boy around our age. He had messy blonde hair, sharp blue eyes, and a scrappy look about him. He was dressed in ragged clothes but held himself with a surprising amount of confidence. The boy was rummaging through a pile of junk, pulling out a few useful items and pocketing them.

Ace was the first to speak. "Hey! Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

The boy looked up, clearly startled by our presence. His eyes narrowed, and he instinctively took a defensive stance. "I could ask you the same thing," he shot back, trying to sound tough.

There was a moment of tense silence, neither side willing to back down. I could tell Ace was ready for a fight, and I prepared myself just in case things got heated. However, before anything could escalate, the boy seemed to relax a bit, his stance loosening.

"I'm Sabo," he finally said, looking at us cautiously. "I live here in the Gray Terminal."

Ace raised an eyebrow. "You live here? All by yourself?"

Sabo shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "Yeah. Better than being stuck in that stuffy Goa Kingdom. At least here, I'm free."

There was something in the way he said "free" that struck a chord with me. The longing in his voice, the desire for freedom—it was something Ace and I understood all too well. After a moment, Ace's usual bravado faded, replaced by a softer expression.

"I'm Ace, and this is my brother, Spade," he introduced, pointing a thumb at me. "We live with Dadan and her bandits up in the mountains. We're here to find some stuff."

Sabo eyed us both, seemingly considering something. After a moment, he broke into a grin, showing a missing tooth. "Well, since we're all looking for the same thing, why don't we work together?"

Ace looked at me, and I could see the question in his eyes. I nodded slightly, sensing that this meeting was significant. Sabo seemed trustworthy, and there was something about him that felt... right. Like we were meant to meet.

"Alright," Ace agreed, extending a hand. "But no funny business. We're watching you."

Sabo laughed, shaking Ace's hand. "Deal. Let's find some treasure!"

With that, we spent the rest of the day searching through the piles of junk, chatting and getting to know each other. Sabo was surprisingly knowledgeable about the world outside the island, regaling us with tales of pirates, marines, and the Grand Line. It was clear that he had big dreams, just like Ace and me.

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As the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the Gray Terminal, we sat down on a large pile of debris, overlooking the distant sea. The three of us were exhausted but happy, a sense of camaraderie forming between us.

"You know," Sabo said suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence, "I've always dreamed of being a pirate. To sail the seas, explore the world, and be free. What about you guys?"

Ace grinned, a fire in his eyes. "I'm going to be the strongest pirate ever. Stronger than anyone, even Gold Roger. And I'm going to find the One Piece."

I looked at the two of them, feeling a sense of belonging that I hadn't felt in a long time. "I want to explore the world and protect the people I care about," I said, smiling. "And if being a pirate means freedom, then I'm all in."

Sabo's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Then it's settled! The three of us will become pirates and make a name for ourselves. We'll be brothers, bound by our dreams and our love for freedom."

We all put our hands together, making a silent vow under the setting sun. From that moment on, we were no longer just kids from Dawn Island. We were brothers, united by a shared dream and a desire for freedom.

As we walked back toward the hideout, I couldn't help but feel that this was the beginning of something great. The bond between us was unbreakable, and together, we would face whatever challenges the world threw at us. Ace, Sabo, and I—three brothers, bound by fate and a shared dream of freedom.

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